Chapter 48

"Boy, you killed people..." said the "elder brother."

Although the Western Xia people fled quickly, some were still caught by the villagers and killed with a chaotic array of weapons. The most tragic cases were those who were not killed with the first strike and were stabbed multiple times before dying, screaming loudly in their final moments. The more they screamed, the faster the people in front ran.

Actually, this was a good thing.

Otherwise, if they calmed down a bit, they would realize that the pursuers were few and just villagers. If they organized themselves, they could turn the tide and win.

Wang Ju shouted, "They killed so many of our fellow villagers, my fellow villagers, and citizens of the Great Song. Aren't you angry?"

But after a moment's thought, he added, "I am a scholar and should not kill, even if they are enemies."

This guy was from the Imperial Guard, and he might report everything to Emperor Zhaozhen right away. Wang Ju wasn't worried about reporting to Zhaozhen; this emperor was, in general, really good, despite his flaws, and was better than 90% of the emperors.

What he feared was that this "elder brother" would spread the word everywhere.

Once he was labeled as a military talent, his life would be ruined.

Even if he could pass the Donghua Gate examination, he would still be ruined!

However, he vaguely felt that with so many things happening, his future might be bumpy...

"You are a scholar..."

"You've been secretly watching me for a long time, haven't you? Have you seen a day when I didn't read books? If you don't believe me, I'll recite a poem I wrote."

"Recite it."

"Should pity the clogs' prints on the green moss, I gently knock on the wattle gate, but it remains closed. The full garden of spring cannot be confined, a branch of red apricot blossoms extends over the wall." Wang Ju was also in a hurry, afraid that this "elder brother" would spread the word, so he plagiarized this seven-character verse by the Southern Song poet Ye Shaoweng.

"Alright, you are a scholar." The "elder brother" was speechless. What a beautiful poem! He couldn't deny it; only a talented scholar could write such a beautiful poem, especially a 14-year-old boy.

"Brother, use this time to kill a few more enemies."

"I am not your brother."

"Uncle."

"Fine, you stay back, don't get impulsive. I'll go kill the enemies." The "elder brother" ran forward in sorrow and anger.

The most critical arrangement was about to be made.

Although Guiniang Huo Luo was a Qiang person, his tribe was large, with seven or eight hundred households. He was a major tribal leader and also held the position of a Song army commander, though it was a nominal position. Compared to Wang Quan, the marriage alliance between the two families seemed somewhat mismatched, especially since Wang Ju had requested the Guiniang tribe's assistance.

If Wang Quan had come to negotiate, it would likely have failed.

But with Wang Ju negotiating and Zhu Qing assisting, they actually succeeded. However, Guiniang Huo Luo also made his demands: first, after this battle, the two families would discuss the marriage alliance. After all, once the marriage was arranged, it would not only affect his granddaughter's happiness but also form a loose alliance between the two villages.

Second, the Guiniang tribe would only intervene after the battle's outcome was clear. If the Wang family village was easily breached by the Western Xia, and the Guiniang tribe forced their way in, they would only gain a powerful enemy without a guarantee of victory, which would not be worth it. This condition was not Guiniang Huo Luo's idea but something Wang Ju had whispered to him, which made him reconsider.

Thus, Wang Ju came up with this plan: first, to request the Guiniang tribe's assistance, to monitor the border dynamics, and to notify them in time. This was not a difficult request, and Guiniang Huo Luo immediately agreed.

The second part of the plan was this:

The Guiniang tribe would launch the final attack.

The group of Western Xia soldiers continued to run, but suddenly, there were continuous screams. The ground was filled with small traps, such as animal snares and pits, and many of them fell victim.

This made them even more paranoid.

Just as they were at a loss, four or five hundred Guiniang tribe warriors emerged.

It was almost a one-sided slaughter.

Out of the 675 Western Xia soldiers, only 56 escaped, nearly a hundred were captured, and the rest were killed. Although it was a small-scale battle, it was a rare complete victory on the border.

The two villages cleaned up the battlefield.

There was wealth on the battlefield: weapons and armor. With the victory, everything was easy to handle. Moreover, the Guiniang tribe's actual contribution was not significant. Although they had more people, they only played a supporting role, and their timely notification was more valuable. Guiniang Langmai was very satisfied, achieving a great victory with almost no casualties, so the spoils were divided equally. The remaining captives were handed over to the Guiniang tribe to handle, whether to ransom or kill, Wang Ju did not care. He only kept a few minor leaders to interrogate, to find out the situation and the reason for the attack, and who had ordered it.

"Little Wang, you did well," said Guiniang Langmai.

Regardless of the strategy used, this victory was glorious.

Even if the Song army from Weilin Village and Zhaoan Village were combined, they might not have achieved such a glorious victory. After this battle, the Wang family village would likely enjoy peace for a long time. Unless, like the last battle at Sanchuan Pass, another ten thousand Western Xia troops invaded and wiped out the Wang family village. But even then, the commander would consider whether it was worth sacrificing hundreds or thousands of soldiers just to avenge a small, unimportant civilian village.

Even for disputes over water sources, pastures, and hunting, the surrounding villages would likely give the Wang family village a wide berth.

Therefore, Guiniang Langmai greeted Wang Ju warmly.

After all, this young man had planned everything from start to finish.

Ambition does not depend on age. Despite his young age, this boy was awe-inspiring.

"Thank you, don't forget to inform your grandfather about the marriage alliance."

"Of course, of course." Guiniang Langmai laughed, leading his people and the captives back.

Wang Quan also led his people, carrying the spoils, including five horses and a few leaders, back to the village.

"That poem was really well-written," the "elder brother" realized.

The poem had a childlike charm, suitable for someone Wang Ju's age. But don't misinterpret the "red apricot branch extending over the wall."

"I am a scholar."

"Alright, I know you are a scholar. Answer me honestly, are you that person?"

"The person Cheng Gong is looking for?"

"What kind of 'high person'? A conspirator."

"Not necessarily. At the time, the situation was indeed dangerous. If the tribes' hatred deepened over the nonexistent treasure, it would not only cause chaos in Yan Prefecture but at least in the northern part of Baoan Army and the northeast of Yan Prefecture." The "elder brother" was looking for the person who led the battle at Heiao Ridge and linked it to the treasure case, trying to confuse the issue.

"Still a conspiracy."

"Whether it's a conspiracy or a strategy, it doesn't matter. Whether it's a black cat or a white cat, the one that catches the mouse is a good cat. A good strategy is one that brings good results. Fan Zhongyan had good intentions, and his integrity was unmatched, but the Qingli Reforms had a significant impact."

In short, due to his own experiences, Wang Ju's thoughts were somewhat radical. In reality, the Qingli Reforms might not have been as good as he thought, but they might not have been as bad as he imagined.

Moreover, at the time, Emperor Zhaozhen was not yet plagued by illness. If he had acted promptly, the chaos that ensued would have quickly disappeared. Because of this timely action, although the reforms were not thorough, they corrected some problems without causing turmoil. It was not as the history books said, that Zhaozhen was conservative and undermined the reforms.

The decline of the Northern Song began in Zhaozhen's later years, when Han Qi, Wen Yanbo, and Fu Bi came to the forefront. Without this mainstay, the Song Dynasty gradually declined.

If Wang Ju could successfully pass the Donghua Gate examination and gradually rise to a high position, he would realize these issues.

But now, he held a biased view.

"This is politics."

"The rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every citizen. I am a scholar, why can't I discuss politics, elder brother?"

"My name is Shi, not your elder brother."

This "elder brother" was not the one he thought it was, but he made him feel quite miserable.

"Uncle Shi."

"That's better."

"You can go back and report. If he doesn't want to come out, why look for him? Besides, in a sea of people, how can you find him?"

"Really not you?"

"It's not me."

"Swear to the heavens."

"Alright... I swear to the heavens," Wang Ju hesitated. He originally didn't believe in ghosts and gods, but after his穿越, he wasn't sure anymore. This穿越 made his materialism waver.

"Indeed, something is strange," the "elder brother" thought.

Just then, Second Auntie ran over in a hurry, "Daniu, it's bad, the soldiers have entered the village."

When the soldiers enter the village, it's never a good thing. It's no different from the Japanese entering a village.

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